Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The EduWanker Of The Day

MILLVILLE -- Police arrested a high school teacher on drug charges the day he was convicted of a similar charge in Hamilton Township.

Christian McCarthy, 37, of the 2200 block of East Main Street was charged with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia when detectives stopped his car at Main and Beech streets in Millville on Jan. 18, according to police.

McCarthy is the son of Millville solicitor Richard McCarthy.

Two passengers in his car, Linwood Newman, 18, of the 300 block of West Powell Street, and a 17-year-old city man were also charged with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Another passenger, Debra Antos, 47, of Egg Harbor Township was charged with possession of cocaine.

McCarthy has been employed full time by the Board of Education since September 2001. He currently works at the senior high school as a special education/social studies teacher.

Hamilton Township police records indicate McCarthy was pulled over July 4 on Harding Highway for a vehicle light violation. He was subsequently arrested on cocaine and drug paraphernalia charges.

McCarthy pleaded guilty to the Hamilton Township charges Nov. 2, according to Madelaine Vitale, a spokeswoman with the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.

Vitale said McCarthy was convicted of the Hamilton Township charges Jan. 18, the same day Millville police arrested him on new drug charges.

Millville schools Superintendent Shelly Schneider and Assistant Superintendent Steve Burke were unaware of the arrest until notified by The Daily Journal Tuesday morning. Police made an official notification of the arrest to school authorities later Tuesday.

Schneider said the school board attorney would have to be consulted before any action is taken.

Burke said the district would launch an investigation into the allegations.

"Depending on the nature of the charge, disciplinary action could be recommended to the full board," Burke said. "That action could include termination."

When asked why school officials were not notified of the incident for 12 days, acting Chief Tom Riley said "they were supposed to" and referred questions to Sgt. Jody Farabella, the supervisor of the Narcotics Unit.

Farabella blamed the delay on work schedules and incomplete reports. He said Detective Carl Heger, one of the officers involved in the arrest, left the department the following day to take a job with the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office.

"My people are doing a good job," Farabella said. "They're making a lot of arrests."

He indicated that detectives are not required to complete reports at the end of their shift and could be off for several days before completing paperwork.

"We're trying to save some overtime," he said.

City Commissioner David Vanaman, director of public safety, was not notified of the arrest until contacted by The Daily Journal.

"Unfortunately the school superintendent was not immediately notified and that will be corrected in the future," Vanaman said. "I have also directed the acting chief to submit a full report within 24 hours outlining the events of this arrest and all parties involved and why the arrest was not placed in the press book."

Farabella said McCarthy's Jan. 18 arrest unfolded as follows:

Heger and Detective Harold Duffield were conducting surveillance in a known drug area on 4th Street between Pine and Oak streets when they allegedly saw McCarthy circle the area three times, then pick up Newman. A police report indicates the detectives became suspicious because the two suspects have previous arrests.

Farabella would not comment when asked about any prior arrests involving McCarthy.

The detectives followed McCarthy's car into Bridgeton, where it stopped on South Pine Street. Newman and the juvenile went into two separate houses for a short time and returned to McCarthy's car.

Detectives stopped the car around 6 p.m. when it returned to Millville.Farabella said cocaine and a crack pipe were found on the rear floor of the car and cocaine was also in plain view on the center console. McCarthy allegedly had another crack pipe in his pocket, according to Farabella.

McCarthy could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Cocaine again.

Some people just can't seem to leave the blow alone.

And what on Earth could McCarthy have been thinking to have been running amok driving around with minor children in his car?

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